ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. perch — the fish
  4. game — wild animals
  5. bore — to drill
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mate — a partner
  8. prune — to trim
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. game — a match
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bore — to tire
  24. leaves — to go away

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com